On April 23, 2012, in an effort to increase pressure on both the Syrian and Iranian regimes to cease ongoing and intensifying human rights violations facilitated by the abuse of information technology, President Obama issued a new Executive Order targeting individuals and entities that exploit information and communications technology to commit or aid in the commission of human rights abuses.

Executive Order 13606, entitled "Blocking the Property and Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons with Respect to Grave Human Rights Abuses by the Governments of Iran and Syria Via Information Technology" (the "Order"),designates persons in Syria and Iran that the United States has determined to have operated, or directed the operation of,information and communications technology that facilitates computer or network disruption, monitoring or tracking that could enable human rights abuses by or on behalf of the Governments of Syria or Iran.

Please see full alert below for more information.